Gaming Guide

China May Lift Video Game Console Ban After 13 Years

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According to The China Daily, an unnamed Government source from China's Ministry of Culture said that the Chinese government is reviewing the current ban on gaming consoles. This could be good news for some of the major console vendors like Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo who have tried but failed to officially gain a foothold in China.

"We are reviewing the policy and have conducted some surveys and held discussions with other ministries on the possibility of opening up the game console market," a source from the Ministry of Culture, who asked not to be named, said. "However, since the ban was issued by seven ministries more than a decade ago, we will need approval from all parties to lift it," the source said.

Companies like Nintendo however are currently entering the country via loopholes in the system. The iQue DS -- a rebranded Nintendo DS -- has been available in China since 2005 with the help of a local partner.

However, according to Ars Technica, it won't be all fun and games for game console vendors if the ban is lifted. Unique challenges like rampant piracy that has crippled the PS2 in 2004, and bootleg games are just some of the hurdles gaming console vendors would have to face, in order to conduct business in one of the largest markets in the world.